Poll: Strong Support For Maryland’s Gay Marriage Law

A new poll released Thursday should serve as an encouraging sign for gay rights advocates in Marryland who are campaigning to keep a state law that legalized same-sex marriage on the books.

The statewide poll, conducted by the Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling (PPP) on behalf of Marylanders for Marriage Equality, shows that 57 percent of likely voters intend to vote for the referendum to uphold the law that was signed by Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) in March. Only 37 percent of likely voters are plan to vote against the law.

The poll also finds a significant shift in opinion among African-American voters in Maryland, which has played a large role in the measure’s emergence as a favorite to pass.

The movement over the last two months can be explained almost entirely by a major shift in opinion about same-sex marriage among black voters. Previously 56% said they would vote against the new law with only 39% planning to uphold it. Those numbers have now almost completely flipped, with 55% of African Americans planning to vote for the law and only 36% now opposed.